MORE: Berlo Chosen to Lead UMD Athletics

By
KBJR News 1

April 3, 2013Updated Apr 3, 2013 at 9:59 PM CST

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) --- Click the video link to hear further thoughts from University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD) Chancellor Lendley Black and new UMD athletics director Josh Berlo, that after Berlo's hiring was officially announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Berlo comes to UMD after serving the past 12 years as senior assistant athletics director at the University of Notre Dame, where he oversaw a staff of 40 and managed a budget of nearly $4 million.

"We believe that his experience and skills will help foster the continued national prominence of UMD athletics," Chancellor Black said, "as we promote new levels of excellence."

While with the Fighting Irish, Berlo was the man in charge of event marketing, game presentation, fan experience, and ticketing for 26 Division I athletic programs.

At UMD, he will be responsible for overseeing just two Division I programs --- men's and women's hockey --- and 14 Division II programs.

He said Wednesday that it was the similarities of UMD to Notre Dame that sealed the deal in his mind.

"I could not be more excited to be here," Berlo said. "You have a fine institution. The values align with what I've believed in for a long time and why I've been a part of athletics at the University of Notre Dame. I have a passion for the good part of athletics, and you represent that so very well."

The other two finalists for the position were Bowling Green's Mary Ellen Gillepsie and Central Michigan's Derek van der Merwe, both of whom were on campus with Berlo on Tuesday for the final round of interviews.

Berlo will officially assume his athletics director duties at UMD on May 1.